remembering last year

Hey everyone,

I am sitting here on Christmas Eve thinking about last year. I remember driving to my brothers house on Christmas Eve. It was a cold day in Virginia and my thoughts began to wander. How was I going to get to PNG? I only had 52% of my monthly support raised and my departure was getting WAY too close. The drive was long giving me plenty of time to think...not sure if that is a good thing or not. I decided I would enjoy the holidays and take what came. If I did not make my "faith amount" by the 26th (I believe that was the date I set) then I would try to attend a training that began in January. I drove my station wagon on the smooth roads (I did not appreciate that then, but now driving on pot-hole roads, I do) and prayed that God would give me a nice holiday with the family and would give me peace, even if my support did not come in.

A little ways into the trip I got a phone call from a friend. She explained that her father wanted to support me and if I needed any more support, other members of her family would be willing to support me. I sat there astounded by God's grace. She gave me her fathers number and I called him. His pledge gave me hope. When I arrived at my brothers my head was spinning. Maybe I WOULD be going to PNG after all. Although I was happy about the prospect all the things that had to be done were filling my mind. I decided to go online and see if anyone else had committed to partner with me. To my surprise two more people had pledged, bumping me to 100%. By noon on Christmas Eve 2010 I had 100% of my support! Praise GOD!

WOW! Thinking back on that Christmas Eve still gives me goosebumps! From 52% to 100% in 7 hours! Why do I ever doubt that God is in control?

This Christmas Eve has proven to be a much more relaxing day and certainly less stressful. I am thankful that I do not have to think about packing, shipping, goodbyes, passports, visas, and all the "lasts" that I had to do. I have held my 1 week old niece and snuggled my 4 and 3 year old niece and nephew. I've had my coffee and I am thinking about going swimming!

Thank you to everyone who has made this possible. God is a good God! He knows our needs and he is faithful. Merry Christmas to all of you and a happy and blessed New Year!

Culture Shock

I have had many moments of culture shock in the past 10 months of living in PNG. But I thought, since this culture shock happened on Thanksgiving, I would share it with you.

Unlike any other Thanksgiving I have experience in the past, this one just did not “feel” like Thanksgiving. What do I mean you ask? Well, I live in a country that is constantly green and the temperature does not vary in great degrees. I also live on a center that is culturally diverse, and if we celebrated one countries holidays we would have to celebrate the holidays of every country. So I worked from 7:30- 4:30 on Thanksgiving.

My friend invited me to come to her house for Thanksgiving dinner. She had also invited another single gal from America and two Papua New Guinean ladies. When we sat down to eat the two Papua New Guinean ladies began to ask us why we celebrate Thanksgiving. As the three of us began our little history lesson we started sharing some other typical “fall” activities. We said things like: hot apple cider (though in my mind I was thinking of a pumpkin spice latte), pumpkin carving, “bilas” (decorating) our houses with fall leaves and gourds, corn mazes, pies, leaf piles, and apple picking. All these things I have been missing, must have seemed so strange to these ladies.

Have you ever wondered why we do the things we do? When I was living in the village I remember trying to explain Spelunking. They would ask me questions like, “Did you go into the cave to hunt bats?” or “Were you not afraid that the floods would come?” I began to realize that MANY things we do in America are forms of entertainment but for people here who have to work so hard to feed their family and keep things running they enjoy talking and telling stories around the camp fire. All the extra money will go to their children’s education or when they go to market. Have you ever thought about the traditions we have and why we have them?

I love Thanksgiving! The thing I love the most is when we can stop and thank the Lord for what he has done, what he is doing, and what he will do. I have learned that the other traditions, the things that are fun and make up a “tradition”, can go away, as long as I can thank my God. Thanksgiving is not about the food, the pies, the football, or the beautiful leaves (though I miss those things)…it is about our attitude of gratitude.

No matter our culture we can be grateful for what we have and even thank God for the struggled he has put us through hoping that He will mature us through them and draw us nearer to him.

Happy Thanksgiving Friends

Christmas in November!

If you ever want to make me smile or anyone who lives here in Ukarumpa send them a package. It is literally like Christmas!!! I don’t know how many times I have gone to the post office with my strange little key and opened it to find spider webs…okay not spider webs, but nothing. But when I open it and see a beautiful worn yellow slip of construction paper with the words: OVERSIZE PACKAGE on it, all the problems of the day seem to fade away.

In the last two weeks I have been blessed with three…yes THREE packages from friends in the states. They could not have come at a better time in my life!
Each of us have moments of stress and overload, of emotional exhaustion and business, apparently this was my time. My first package was from my friends Brian and Niki and my Lifegroup at Southbrook Church. I was not sure exactly what it was since I gone a different note in my box but then I saw it. The lady at the post office had to open the second window! I thought I could pick it up on my way to the store with my friend but when I saw how big it was my friend and I both started to laugh. “This should be interesting!” I thought as I grabbed the box from the lady. My friend and I walked to her house with this box and as I continued to switch my grip (though I was NOT complaining!) she laughed and snapped pictures of this strange expat carrying a box bigger than her arms could reach!

Thank you for sending me this package, it was such an encouragement and so unexpected! My friend (also a teacher) and I caressed the crayons, NEW white board markers, sticky tack, lotion (shared all around might I add), and the oh-so-delicious hazelnut iced latte singles (which I am enjoying at the moment :). You are a blessing to me!

Last week I went to my box expecting some medicine and I found yet another yellow ticket! I won’t say it to loud, even though I feel like screaming for joy, since others wish they had one too. I think I knew about one of them but the other one was a welcome surprise. The two packages were from my friends Andrea and Lynn! Thanks guys.

I have put all of your gifts up on my dresser drawers so I can look at them for a while (very little entertainment here folks) and continue to remind me of God’s faithfulness. I know this might seem like a simple thing, a package in the mail, but I see it as a constant reminder of God’s love for me, your friendship, and his constant provision. Many things that came in these boxes are things I have been needing either for my class or for my house. Construction paper, good band aids, post-it-notes that actually stick, stickers, notebooks and thank you notes, and so much more! As well as the full little goodies: ornaments, lotions, movies, tea and coffee, and even tissues that look like $100 bills! haha!

Thank you again for making my days so much better. I pray that God will bless you in abundance as you have blessed me!

Fellowship with Friends

My friend Amy and I decided a few months ago that we wanted to start a Bible study group.

There are a few Bible Studies we could have joined but decided they were pretty big and we really wanted to get to know a few ladies. With a bigger bible study group you can't be as personal and open as you would with just a few ladies.

After picking a Beth Moore study, The Patriarchs, we started asking around to see who would like to join us. Four ladies committed and we began to meet once a week. I was so blessed by this study and through the fellowship and prayers of these ladies. The time of the Bible study could not have come at a better time. With beginning to teach here and not really knowing many people, God blessed me with wonderful godly ladies who were willing to be open and honest and also have a little fun!

At the end of our study we decided to have a celebration. We discussed inviting their families and children but then settled on: Tea, homemade cheesecake, and pedicures! OH YEAH! It was fun to relax with my new friends and spend the evening laughing and enjoying each others company.

Times are Changing

A little while ago my roommate and I realized our phone was not ringing. It took us most of the day to notice since we were enjoying the silence. We put a message on the center information board that our phone was not working so if anyone wanted to get in touch with us they needed to send an email.

That afternoon someone showed up and handed us a new phone! What service! We laughed when we plugged in our “new phone”. Our older version was pretty old but this one was probably 5 years newer. Plugging it in I couldn’t help but think how telephones have changed.

In America it is becoming much more common for a family to have a few cell phones and not have a home number. Here in Ukarumpa, a cell phone connection is not always dependable so the land line is the way to go. (although sometimes people could use the information board to summon a family member home for dinner ;)

Growing up we had a phone where you dialed the number and waited for it to spin around before dialing the next number. I always loved that! Of course, we only had to dial four numbers.

When I came to visit in 2009 I was surprised to see the amount of cell phones in this country. When I left in ’03 no one had a cell phone, now it would not be surprising to see someone walking around with one. The culture is changing. Texting is popular even in a third-world country like PNG. Although some people may bath in the river and cook over a fire they are still able to find a place to charge their cell phone.

Times are changing.

Is hospitality lost?

I started thinking about this as I was driven home tonight. Is hospitality lost? I believe it is in some communities and areas in the world. Why is that? I know I always tend to throw in the word "busy" or "tired" when answering questions like these...but when I look closely I realize it is more so that I am self centered or lazy.

When I was a child we would travel all over America seeing people (usually friends and supporters of my missionary parents) and we would be invited to stay with people, pray for us, taken out to eat, some people would even buy us gifts. This hospitality, at least through the eyes of a child, was real and warm. I found that we would speak in churches and meet people we had never met before and God would prompt them to bless us. I remember bouncing from church to church speaking, ministering, and encouraging people and yet we were more often than not, greeted kindly.

Is this true today? Do churches open their doors to people they have never met? Do families invite a newcomer to eat with them, to play games, or to fellowship with them?

I was invited over for dinner tonight. One of my friends is a teacher at the school here in PNG and her son is in my class. We had a lovely meal and even played a game afterwards. On the way home I began to think of this question, "Is hospitality lost?". I am not quite convinced. The blessing and warmth a family brings to a single ladies heart is unexplainable. I have felt this warmth so many times since I have arrived in PNG and I pray that it will spread. We are a close knit community here and can be pretty certain that inviting a newcomer into your house is not a threat. But I pray this hospitality, that we are called to give to one another, will not show itself solely in times of safety and comfort but also in times when we see a need.

This family, through their hospitality, has challenged me to be more hospitable. How hard is it to have someone over, to bless them, and spend time getting to know some one new. Think of all they can teach you.

My conclusion: I don't think it is lost I just think we have neglected it for far too long.

The Downpour

A few weeks ago I was sitting in the computer lab working on some lesson plans. The computer lab overlooks the basketball court that was recently covered (thank you WA short term trips) which is very convenient for HOT days and RAINY days. In about 30 minutes I had a PE class in which I was teaching soccer. As I sat there I felt the air change (seeing as we do not have air conditioning) and knew, rain was coming. Sure enough I was right...but OH did it come!

Do you remember the children's song, "the rains came down and the floods came up", well that is what began to happen however the floods came down as well. Living in an area where the roads are made of dirt and rock and where the majority of the roads are on small hills, the floods come down. As hard as construction works to repair and maintain our roads...downpours are determined to keep them busy.

I kept typing away as the rain continued at times so hard I could barely hear the other teachers talking. After about 15 minutes I took a peek out the window again to see how the other PE teacher was doing in her Basketball lesson. She had moved her 4th grade students closer to the center of the court as the water from the parking lot began to make it's way down to the drain, and once that was overflowing, take over the court.

I sat, along with other teachers, and watched as the water grew closer and closer to the determined teacher and the distracted children. After amusing at the sight for a few minutes I realized I had no alternative plan for my 5th grade class!

About 10 minutes later the 4th graders slid through the teacher lounge saying things like, "That was the BEST PE class ever!" and "Can't we just go mud sliding for PE class?". The bell rang and I rushed off to recess duty which ended up being a movie for all the students who could make it there (the rest had recess in thier classrooms due to the water logged pathways).

What a day! "Rainy Day" certainly has a new meaning here in Ukarumpa. All I have to say is, if you grew up in Lomalinda, you know how much restraint I had to have NOT to make mud sliding a lesson in PE that day!

New Kodiak

Our Kodiak! This is #3 in our fleet. We were happy to welcome it. This airplane will help many people do their work in a quicker and more efficient way. When we heard it was arriving we were invited to come to aviation and join in prayer around it. Who would miss that?! I say, never underestimate the power of prayer.

This Kodiak even has a cargo pod. I was told that this pod should help distribute the weight of the aircraft and also allow for more seating. As I look at this airplane I think of the many families who go in and out of the village each year. If these airplanes were not available it might take days or weeks for translators to get to their village allocation using valuable time that could better be spent on their language work.

Please thank God with us for the newest arrival to the fleet!
Please also pray for safe travels for all three.

"The Coolest Car in Ukarumpa"

If you were to describe your car, what would you say? Is it clean, fast, shiny...does it get great gas mileage, or have spacious seating? Well we in Ukarumpa rate our cars in....well unique ways.

Living in a country that has few paved roads (which are frequently sprinkled with car-eating pot holes) we take pride in our transportation based on their rate of "survival" and "battle-scars".

My roommate was in need of an interesting blog post so she create a contest entitled "The Coolest Car in Ukarumpa". She explained to the center that they could send her a picture of their car and a short description of why they think their car is the coolest. The community, adults and children, were given a chance to vote and the winner was awarded 5 free movies from R&R rentals.

This contest created many conversations and competitiveness as there are limited forms of entertainment on center.

In order to see the contestants and the results please visit Joy's blog.
http://joyellen.wordpress.com

Leave it to the ants

I don't like ants. Granted there are some ants that I dislike more than others. There are the kinds that are tiny, scatter quickly but you can squish with your finger. There are those that are big and red and go nuts when a tree has been cut down. There are also the ants that are black and carry pieces of leaves twice their size and really just want to get the job done. So if you pick the leaf up they will hold on tight...because they are NOT going back to the queen ant empty handed.

When I was teaching in the states I had my students go outside and find different items in nature that we could sort and use to make a collage. One of my students had finished finding his items so decided to sit down and wait for the rest of the class. But to his surprise he sat on a red ant hill and quickly found out what they thought about that. This poor little boy ended up with welts all over his stomach and back. As I was walking him to the nurse he said, "Why did God make them?" I don' t know! I don't like ants.

During my 5 weeks of living in the village with a Papua New Guinean family, my friend and I took a walk to church. We saw that up ahead a tree hand fallen on the road. Thinking nothing of this we continued walking at our slow pace until we reached the tree. The family we were staying with were walking a good distance behind us and said that when we got close to the tree we started doing a "silly dance" and watched us run a good distance until we were far away from the tree. Their laughter quickly faded once they met the "instigators" of our dance! OH....those nasty red ants! They were vicious! One of them was so fast it bit me on the back! I will forever be cautious when I approach a fallen tree! Can you tell that I don't like ants.

Today, however, I had quite an interesting experience with ants. These ants, although fast, are not biters. When we went to do something with the circuit breaker a whole swarm of these tiny little ants can tearing out! So I called the electrician and when he came he sprayed the switches with bug killer and I wiped them all down. What a mess! Can anyone tell me why ants would want to make their home in the electrical circuits? Crazy ants. What I think is ironic is that it was really no big deal here to have ants in random places of your house. He sprayed, I wiped, he put the circuits back, and I went back to work.

Leave it to the ants.

GOING GREEN

The other day I wanted to make a dish that required canned green beans. I decided to go and buy a can instead of steaming the ones we got at market. After buying it I thought to myself, "This is crazy!" Fresh green beans are soooo much cheaper here than canned.

This got me thinking. How many green beans could I get for the same price as a can of green beans? Since we get canned and processed foods imported from America and Australia they cost more than getting the "organic" version at the market. In America it is such a big deal to buy organic but it is VERY expensive. Here in PNG people have never even heard of pestisides and everyone eats organic so they don't even think twice about it.

My roommate and I went on a mission. We bought one can of green beans for K3.90. Then we went to the Ukarumpa market which is set up outside on old wooden tables. Nationals come from all around on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to sell to the people here in Ukarumpa. They sell fresh produce, flowers and even artifacts such as wood carvings, string bilum bags, and paintings. The produce is likely picked the day before or the day of market. Walking into market you will see little piles of green beans set up nicely on tables, each with a price (often 20t). We bought K3.90 worth of fresh green beans to compare to the can. This was A LOT of green beans!

We brought them home, soaked them in bleach water to clean them, and then counted....316 green beans! HECK yeah!

I am pretty sure we will sharing with our friends!

PNG has already gone Green!

I'm an Aunt!

When I was a little girl living on the mission field in Colombia I quickly realized the other missionaries were not just my parents co-workers, they were family. As a MK (missionary kid) we would decide which adults we would give the title "aunt" and "uncle". We decided this on how well we knew the person, how much they were apart of our lives, and how fun they were!

If they were our parents good friends they usually earned the title.
If they were really cool and took us to cool places.
If they listened to us, mentored us, or basically were given responsibility of us like our parents.
If they attended our events, dramas, and other special events in our lives.
If they were there for us in hard times in our lives and still loved us....they were given the title.

Even today I still have a few people that I call "uncle" and "aunt". It gets a little trickier seeing as I am also a missionary with Wycliffe now, but some titles just stick.

When I was attending my training camp here (POC) I ran into a couple who were both MKs in Peru. It has been fun getting to know them and their two little kiddos. As we started talking I realized that they gave the title "aunt" and "uncle" to everyone on the Peru mission center. They said their center was small and everyone that is older, any adult, was given this title. I thought that was pretty interesting!

We thought about what their kids should call me. Should it be, Aunt Amanda or just Miss Amanda? Which would mean more to me and to them? We settled on Aunt Amanda. I am thrilled!

Though I have 5 biological nieces (2 on the way) and 2 nephews there is just something different about being a "missionary" aunt. They will never be on the same level but I am honored.

I am now a missionary aunt to three families here and take great pride in it. It's like they are welcoming me into their family!

So if you ever see a missionary being called "aunt" or "uncle" and you know they aren't related to that person you will know that it's because we have shared this bond, this special experience that is almost like family.

Christmas in August!

In January I decided to send some of my belonging in a shipment. The items were packed up in boxes and put on a ship headed for PNG. I was informed that it would arrive in May, possibly beating me to Ukarumpa. I was thrilled and went along packing, moving, saying goodbye, and so forth.

In May I arrived here and realized my shipment had not arrived. Though a little disappointed I realized this was not uncommon. I though of all the reasons why it could be delayed and relaxed. Many months went by and to my own dismay I began to realize I had put certain things on the shipment that I should have taken on the airplane with me. Discouragement began to creep up on me.

People kept saying it would be here this weekend or or this Friday and I decided not to listen. It would come when it was suppose to come. With this kind of thinking you can imagine my surprise when I went to the store this Friday and actually SAW my shipment. Faith without seeing just didn't work after being let down so many times. There it was and it was beautiful! I am thankful for all the hard work the shipping department did. I can't imagine it being easy to work with so many different countries. I am thankful for my "Christmas" in August!

On Friday night my roommate made cookies while I showed her everything I had brought! I think she is excited to "share" my things! I feel like I can begin to nest now and create a home for myself.

The Wall of 300

I continue to remind myself how blessed I am to be working where I am. At the end of the school year we all walked into chapel to find a row of little cards wrapping around the top of the building. The Principal stood and explained that each one of these cards has a name of a language group in this country that does not have a Bible in their language. There were 300. Each child in the school had colored and decorated one of the cards. Looking up at those cards I was amazed! Though I have spoken about this to many people during my Partnership Development trips, it still hits me when I see it. The Principal went on to say that every time one of these language groups has a translation we will put a red line over it meaning, "finished". Praise God!

After we talked about the cards we had a time of prayer. At that time I was responsible for the Kindergarten children so I took half of them and gave the other half to my Papua New Guinean assistant and we prayed for a few different provinces in PNG. My students listened with great interest as I explained that these people do not even know that Jesus loves them, who Jesus is, or that God has a book to tell them about it. Their eyes widened. Though I am sure each child in this group has heard this before, their parents being missionaries and all, it reminded them again why they were in this country. I asked them to close their eyes and one child began to pray. As she prayed I felt tears come to my eyes. Her desperate prayer for people to KNOW that Jesus loves them to BRING missionaries here to tell them so they can go to heaven with us, was just precious. I am glad we can include the children as we pray for these people. I KNOW God hears our prayers, especially those of children. Sometimes I think they are more faithful than me at time!

Yesterday I took my new group of Kindergarten students into the auditorium. We sat on the floor and I told them what the cards on the wall meant. I explained that their parents, in some way (either support missionaries...like me, or translators) are helping to bring God's word to the people of PNG. We talked about how these 300 language groups on the wall are still waiting to hear and waiting for someone to come to them. Then we began to pray. Again tears came to my eyes when one little girl began to pray. Her eyes closed tight, her tiny little hands clenched in a folded position. Oh God, hear her prayers! Bring more translators to these people and help us in this task that is too big for us...but not for You. Hear the prayers of the children.

Thank you for allowing me support Bible Translation and to minister to the children at Ukarumpa International School Primary Campus!

HOT WATER!!!

Today I had a HOT SHOWER!!!
Okay, this may not seem like a big deal but when you have gone days desperately waiting for the sun to heat your water so you can have a hot shower because it's CRAZY cold for some reason, it's a BIG DEAL!

Let me show you how my perspective has changed over time in regards to hot water.
November, 2011- Waxhaw, North Carolina
I decided to take a "stress shower" so I did. Yeah, don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. If you had a bad day and you don't care about your water bill (that is not in front of you....that does not REALIZE what kind of day you have had and you "deserve" an hour long shower) you can wash it all away in a steaming hot, FULL pressure shower, for as long as you want to. This is the kind of shower I could take. Or the I-just-went-for-a-run-gotta-get-to-bible-study-in-ten-minutes-so-I-need-a-quick-shower kind of shower. This is a shower in the states. One where you don't think twice why the water is hot, who is heating the water, or why you should even bother answering those questions!

February, 2011- POC, Madang, PNG
In order to obtain hot water at my Pacific Orientation Course in PNG we had to light a fire. Now this isn't just any kind of fire, because if it was, my two roommates and I would have been able to light it at 5am and then go back to bed with no fuss... OH NO! This furnace was ridiculous. One of the first days there we were given a tutorial on how to light the furnace and keep it lit. If we scrape this, and stack this, and the kero goes like this, and then check it 30 minutes later...no problem right. WRONG! This is how my roommates and I would light it. We would roll out of bed, grab a skirt, trip around the room to find the Furnace Bucket, go out in the dark/often rain, and stand in front of the furnace. we would do everything they said to light the thing: scrape, stack, spray, light. It would go..pretty big in fact so we would leave. 30 minutes later...it was dead. The point of lighting the furnace at 5am was so that at 6 when most people started to get up it would have heated the water for warm showers. They would come into the bathroom fill a bucket with warm water (that is, if the one of lighting duty could get it warm), pour the bucket into another bucket with a shower head on the bottome, use a rope to pull the "bucket shower" to the top, tie the rope off, and voula...a shower. We'll just say...cold showers were looking a lot more promising to me on those days (it was so hot I often didn't mind)

April, 2011- Wayu Village
A hot shower? What's that? What's a shower? River washing all the way. Yu go waswas!

June, 2011- Ukarumpa, PNG
The water at my apartment is heated by use of a solar panel. It is great when the sun is bright and the water is flowing off the roof into our tank. The showers are so hot and wonderful!!

July, 2011- Ukarumpa, PNG
I am getting desperate! It has rained for ...MANY days and the sun has hardly appeared to heat my water. I have quickly learned to check the water in the shower before even preparing to take a shower. Why bother getting ready if it's going to be cold? This is when I say, mi les (I don't care, I'm lazy) long waswas (to wash). During this time though I had decided I was in desperate need of a shave but I was certainly NOT going to shave with cold water. So I made a plan. If I heated water on the stove and poured it into the tub...Hmmmm. It worked. I have to say, I did feel a little ridiculous. But hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

So Mr. Sun, you are welcome to shine on me any day!
Enjoy your hot shower today!

A tea party in PNG?

My friend Melissa wanted a tea party for her birthday and I told her I would help organize it. I decided I wanted it to look like this cute little tea room I went to in South Carolina a few times. This little tea room was so precious. When you first walk in you get to choose a fancy hat! We could even try them on and look in the mirror! Very fun! Then we could choose a tea cup and saucer for the day.

With this kind of tea party in mind, I knew I had a lot of work to do! Thankfully I had already been to a fancy tea party. Some ladies had put it on right when I got here so I knew there were MANY fancy tea sets around...even in PNG!

I wrote on the group board asking for items for the tea party. The list was pretty ridiculous seeing as I had NOTHING but food to contribute to it. I wanted to make this day special for my friend, especially how crazy her week had been already! After a few days I began to hear from people so Melissa and I went on a "little" trip all around center.

We visited 12 different houses and borrowed items from tea pots, tea cups and saucers, to freshly squeezed lemon juice and 16 hats from the high school prop room (ones from past plays)! I was ecstatic but knew my neck was on the line if anything was broken! (Not a good situation when you live on a small center.) We even managed to convince two high school girls to help serve so Melissa and I can enjoy being at the party...which was a great idea!

The day of, I woke up to rain! Being a new driver, and a driver of a "questionable van", and also knowing I would have to make a few trips to take all the tea pots and so forth to where I was hosting it, I was a little nervous! But all worked out perfectly. The rain stopped and we only needed one trip!

The 9 other ladies and us enjoyed trying on hats, drinking strawberry lemonade, and choosing a tea cup (one lady even brought a mug because tea cups don't hold enough! haha). Our first course was cranberry scones with cream served with the first round of hot teas. The second course got many OOWWW's and AAAAWWWW's as the trays were filled with: fruit kabobs, chocolate covered pretzels, cheese and crackers, and cucumber sandwiches (my favorite). It is always nice to watch a missionary relax and savor the moment. There is nothing better than providing a memory like this (like I felt at training when I received a chocolate Hershey's candy....I don't think I have ever eaten anything and liked it that much!). The last course was cake and ice cream followed by a Happy Birthday song to my friend.

It was a nice morning...and yes, nothing has broken. Hopefully the last two deliveries tomorrow will keep my record clean!

Even though I am far away from America, I believe I can still host fun events and pamper my friends. I am glad that God continues to show me how I can do this.

Coffee makers?

I do not consider myself an "avid" coffee drinker but when I came to this country and tea was offered I realized how coffee addicted I actually was. Quit pretending Amanda, you're addicted.



While attending POC training for 14 weeks we had "Tea Time" at 10:00am and 3:00pm in addition to the normally scheduled meals. After a few weeks I noticed I was getting either tea or coffee four times a day! I know, this may not seem like that much to those of you who have coffee cups strewn about in your house, microwave, and counters on a regular basis each day, but for a person who claims to be different...this was a shocker for me! I had to make changes. I decided I would only have it during one tea time, that was the plan. WELL...then we had weekends where we had to learn to cook "bush style" over the fire. This was fine, I decided I could certainly go a WEEKEND without coffee, my two roommates could so why couldn't I. This decision was made BEFORE the weekend began. By the first Sunday...I needed something so started roaming around to see who would be a "Good Samaritan" and help a gal out! I wandered over to the two single guy's "haus kuk" (outdoor kitchen) and found that, though they did not make much to eat they did have a coffee plunger. Tyler generously shared his coffee with me each morning of our many "haus kuk" weekends. Thank you Tyler! For encouraging my additions? Maybe...or just making me a happier person to be around!


During the week we had coffee made in a regular coffee maker, but once we got the village things became a little more complicated. With no electricity and no coffee plunger (it belonged to the guys) we settled for instant coffee. I know, but what could you do?! I actually began to enjoy the instant coffee! In PNG they have something called Nescafe 3-in-1 (coffee, creamer, and sugar). This kept me going. Of course when my village partner pulled out the instant VIA singles we had a "Starbucks Moment". We drank our coffee (water boiled over the fire), closed our eyes and pretended we were listening to classical music! You do what you can!



When I arrived in Ukarumpa I thought, "Surely I will have my own coffee maker!", but this depends on whose house you are renting/staying in and whether they want to leave one for you to use. I live in group housing so this is not provided. I have to admit I began to go through "coffee withdrawal". We live in a country that is KNOWN for their coffee (though nothing will ever beat Colombian coffee!) I need a coffee maker. My roommate Joy pulled out the coffee maker. "This is how it works" she explained. "First you put water in the bottom part, then you fill the small metal strainer with coffee grounds. Then you take the top part and connect it to the bottom part, put it on the gas stove and wait for the water to boil up through the grounds and fill up the top section."

Yeah! I was not a fan....but now, I think it's pretty neat! This is what I do when I am home but for the most part I hope that the coffee maker is on at school, to fulfill my coffee cravings!



So, when you are sitting in the drive through waiting on your coffee and you start to get upset that it's taking "too long"...think of this blog, be glad you are not boiling your water over the fire, and take a sip for me! :)

Blasted Mosquito Nets!!

I am NOT a fan of Mosquito nets... though I respect the purpose of them.

How many times can a person get tangled up in the thing before they go CRAZY!

Pros and Cons of mosquito nets:

Pros:

- The obvious, they keep mosquitoes from having a midnight snack...of you!

- They give you a "sleeping boundary"
- They allow you to sleep well at night when spending the night in a strange village

Cons:

- I often found myself "forgetting" I was under one when I had to make a late night trip to the toilet, finding myself in a big mess! Amanda does not wake up easily.
- You have to find a place to hang it, from the bamboo woven wall, from some old rusty nail, on a chair...whatever works!

- You have to "arrange your bed" if you travel a lot so that the net can go up before the mosquitoes go in or come out. Putting up a net in the dark, is NOT fun!

- You must make sure it's tucked under the bedding ALL around the bed, otherwise...it's ineffective.

- Even WITH a mosquito net you can still get pooped on from other creatures climbing on the walls (once woke up to a HUGE gecko just staring at me. I told him, "If you stay their and I stay here, we won't have a problem tonight." he didn't move, so neither did I!), hear the little devils flying around the net at night, may get bit if you lay against the net or leave a corner open!

Thus is why I entitled this...blasted mosquito nets!

Goodbye and off to the Future

The last day of school...the final goodbyes...the roller coaster of emotions.
Today I witnessed this in Kindergarten and Grade 12.
Do you remember these times?
The scene holds the same feel. Moms and dads with tears in theirs eyes either from how far their child has come, how much heartache the child has brought, or uncertainty of the child's future. Teachers stand proud some with tears, many exhausted and ready to disappear before they start again, amazement at how far they have come, and all praising God for His help through out the year. The kids themselves are excited, nervous to be on stage and about what lies ahead, and possibly thinking about the after party ;)

But here in Ukarumpa, a few more elements are added to this picture. Unlike America where most children move to a new school or go off to college and see their school friends over breaks, our goodbye is more final. It doesn't have to be...in fact we encourage students to keep in touch with each other (which is easier now with Digicel phones, skype, Internet, text, etc) however, DISTANCE separates us. Each class is sprinkled with individuals from countries all around the world and when these kids graduate they return to these, as we call them "passport", countries which makes the goodbye even more difficult. Papua New Guinea, Ukarumpa, has become their home. The kids in their class...have become their family. And though the future may be wrapped in excitement it also brings uncertainty and more change.

As I hugged my Kindergarten students goodbye today I wondered what would become of them. Many of them have big changes coming up. Just this week three of them leave the country or province while many have to say goodbye to friends leaving for a few months to a year. Will they come back or go finish? Will they adjust well to the change they are about to have? Will they continue to do well in school? Do they understand what is happening?

This is the life of a missionary kid. Don't get me wrong, it is a great life, but it can be trying. I loved being a missionary kid! I loved mud sliding, running around barefoot, riding horses and motorcycles, swimming in the winter, and building forts in the jungle. We are exposed to a special kind of community. We are given opportunities to learn new languages, cultures, our worldview is widened, and are flexible.There are many wonderful things about being a missionary and a missionary kid but goodbyes...are not a party.

Tonight I sat and listened to one of the teachers stand up to give the Benediction. He stood their and looked at the graduates and said, "What can I say that I haven't said already?" It was obvious that this teacher loved his students. He reminded me again of why I am here. I am PASSIONATE about sharing God's love with these children, I am PASSIONATE about caring for, leading, and instructing them in the way of the Lord. In this community you are an important part of the lives of these children. When we send them on, wither from Kindergarten or 12th Grade we can only pray that we did our best to reflect Christ.

At the end they sang "I will Follow" by Chris Tomlin. Amen!

Oh the Power of Rain

As I sit on my couch under my blanket sipping my Good Earth tea I can hear the rain falling outside. Rain can bring about so many feelings and can affect a variety of things in this country, I thought I would share a few.

If I am sitting in my cozy little apartment, as I am right now, rain is peaceful. I can hear it filling up my water tank (which I use for cooking, cleaning, and washing). This is ALWAYS a good sound!

If I am at school and it is minutes before my wild Kindergarten class has recess or PE...it is not as wonderful and peaceful...it is a nuisance. Besides, all teachers know that children suddenly "loose it" when it rains. (Try teaching in a place where it rains half the year!)

If I am walking down the road and all the sudden I see it on the horizon I know I'm doomed. Rain in this country doesn't doddle...it's quick and it means business! So I begin to run up the hill, then down, then up again to get to my apartment that sits on the top of 30 million stairs...before it hits me. And more than likely I will be half soaked (umbrella or not) by the time I reach my porch. This kind of rain is NOT cool!

If you like mudsliding, you would like this rain! Pick the hill...we have plenty!

If I walk to school every morning tripping on the rocks and slick dry dirt and the next morning I wake up to a wet road...I will be pleased. Those ridiculous "bolders" are now pushed down into the road and my feet are happy!

If my roommate is out in the village and it rains for three days straight they might be stuck in a big mudbath, no electricty and a river flowing through what USE to be an airstrip...that kind of rain is not welcome.

If I have laundry out on the line and it begins to rain RIGHT before school finishes...Amanda's not a happy camper. Guess I'll just wait until the next sunny day.

BUT, at this moment ...I'm lik'n rain. FILL up my tank and water the gardens. Push those rocks down and let me not slip tomorrow morning.

rain rain go away, come again at night when I don't have to think about you!:)

A Golden Ticket

If you have ever watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory you will connect with this story.

So I was walking home from school today trying to decide if I needed to do anything before I actually went to my house. Living on the top of the hill and working at the bottom of the hill lends to these questions (especially when you don't have a car). I decided to say hello to my mother first (to see if maybe she could drive me up the hill ;) use those connections baby) then check my mail.

I walked up to the finance office and called through her window. My four year old niece use to stand under the window and in her sweet high pitched voice say, "NANA, it's me, PIIIPPPPEERRR!" so adorable! So I tried it. Didn't have the same affect, but hey she opened the door and let me in anyways!

After a nice little chat she asked if I wanted a ride home...yep! She said, "That's probably why you stopped by huh?" Can't a daughter just say hi to her mothe...okay she's right. We who live on the "top" figure out ways to bypass the huff-and-puff of a walk each day! (who needs a gym!)

We walked out and mom decided to go to the post office. I was discouraged with the thought, seeing as I haven't gotten mail in a while, but was pleasantly surprised...okay I scream YESSSSSSSS, when I saw the little golden ticket in my mail box. I had an over sized package. (I am actually not surprised that I don't have much mail because I have just recently sent out my mailing address.)

My mom bugged me that it was probably for her and they had put it in the wrong "Wulff" box, which has happened before. BUT SHE WAS WRONG! It was a gift from my friend Elizabeth. I was so happy. I AM so happy!

I rushed home to see what goodies she had sent. The package even SMELLED good! Some people like to look on the green paper that is attached to the box that says what is enclosed...but not me. I like to be surprised. Each little gift was wrapped in the cutest tissue paper and being a "good missionary" I carefully unwrapped and folded it so I can reuse it. Seriously! Okay well I did for the first two then I couldn't wait! Give me a break, I'm new at this. In three years I will be a PRO at reusing paper! It's like Christmas in MAY!

She had sent Coffee (a story about the coffee pot to come), gum and candy, and a nice CD of Christian music...very pretty. She also sent me things for giving myself a pedicure. HOW perfect! My roommate Joy and I are having some friends over on Friday. We were brainstorming just last night about what we could do....now we know! Pedicures all around.

Well, thanks for making my day Elizabeth!

If you ever want to make a missionaries day, send them something in the mail...even a card will keep them going....plus they will probably cheer up others up by sharing!

over and out

From Mk to Mk

Tonight I shared at Soul Purpose (teen youth group). I shared about my experiences as an Missionary Kid (MK), how I dealt with transition, change, and claiming my faith for my own. I was told I could speak from 20-45 minutes. YIKES! I haven't talked that long in quite awhile...but as a good "Wulff" it wasn't hard to meet that goal.

It was strange to speak to the teens but very natural. Wasn't I just sitting there a few years ago? The seniors this year were completing fourth grade when I was finishing my senior year. All that to say, their faces are still pretty new to me. Time changes but we can still learn from each other.

This place brings back so many memories of high school. Good memories and difficult ones. High school was a hard time of life. Yeah it was great in many ways but there were so many transitions, changes, moves, relationship issues, and self-centeredness. When I was in high school I missed out on so many things because my focus was on me. I wonder what I could have accomplished if my focus was switched to Christ and others?

But if we're honest we would probably ALL say, my focus is not on Christ FIRST, then on others, then ourselves. It's a constant struggle isn't it!

It was a blessing to share what God has done in and through me. The more I shared the more I was in awe of the works of God. I shared about a time when God gave me strength when a friend was VERY sick, a time when I could not speak and the Holy Spirit spoke for me, and a time when I needed peace and it was given to me. ALL of these things were the acts of GOD. Yes I believed but God was at work. He is never far from me.

All I hope tonight is that the kids will not remember the stupid things I said like : "crap" and "high on peace" but rather the verses I read, the challenge, and my push for them to go to the thrown of Christ.

Two verses that I shared tonight that have impacted me over the years:

Mark 11:24 "Therefore I tell you whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. "

1 Peter 3:15-16 "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect"

Praise God!

Lazy water

The other day I needed to fill up a water container. I decided I wanted it to be from our filter which is connected to our bathroom sink. This filter is VERY slow. I put the bottle under the filter spout and watched the water trickle in. Feeling lazy I called my roommate Joy in to help me figured out a way that I could leave it and not have to hold it...for a half hour!

So strategically wrapped the filter cord around the bottle and propped it up with the soap container. WOW, the things we come up with!

I'm in a different world now...

I thought I'd share some pretty funny things I have come in contact with in the last few days that have made me realize that I am "in a different world now".

While walking down the street I saw a little girl in super white shoes run to visit a friend. She yelled out "Hey, I got new shoes!". The little girl she was visiting yelled back, "I just took my malaria meds!".

A few nights ago I was invited to eat dinner at another teacher's house. She also invited a couple. The husband told me a story about when he was single. He had been watching a movie with a few others when they realized it was past the center curfew, 11:00 pm. They began to worry about how they would get home since none of them had a car and it was late. I thought to myself, "Wow, where else does a guy in his 30's NOT have a car and also WORRY about when he is out at night."

Last night my roommate and I had two families with little kids over for dinner. I was wondering what the kids would do since we don't have any toys, but they had no problem! They walked in and played for TWO HOURS with our two blankets. They became superheroes, babies, and so many other creative things. All that to say, missionary kids do not live on electronics. What a blessing!

Reading through "The Wycliffe International Cookbook" this morning I came across instructions for washing grains like rice and bean wheat. It said, "wash several times until the water runs clear. The chaff and the bugs will float and can be poured off." I laughed when I read BUGS! Only in a missionary cookbook.

Just thought I'd share. Hope you enjoy!

Sign of Life

Dear Readers,

I am sending you a "sign of life" message! I'm still over here in PNG even though at times it may seem as though I have fallen off the face of the earth...Papua New Guinea may seem like that to some of you! SOOOOOOO much has happened in the last 12 weeks that I can't HARDLY explain it all right now, but eventually I hope to share pictures and stories.

At this moment I am spending some time at the training center (POC) in Madang as my partner recovers from malaria (she is almost recovered) then we head back to our village for a few more days. We have spent four and a half weeks in this village, part of our practical training, and will say our farewells on Thursday.

We have grown so close to this family and have enjoyed learning, living, and building a relationship with them. The parents of this family are called "wasmama and waspapa" basically meaning "watchmom and watchdad". They are responsible for looking after us during our five weeks in the village. They have four wonderful children who I will miss dearly. Two of them remind me of my nieces and nephews. One of their daughters is 4 years old. As she dances, jumps, makes up songs, and transitions from sweet little angel to demanding little girl...I am reminded of my five nieces! Their one year old reminds me of Will and Boone as he talks constant gibberish, begs for freedom but then comes back for snuggles, and does what he can annoy and do everything his sisters do!

I will never forget my time in the village. The life lessons, relationships, mistakes, jokes, and triumphs will forever be imbedded in my heart and mind. I truly think everyone should experience living in a village where you are completely put out of your element. Where else will you realize that people who live on the complete opposite side of the world, speak a different language, and have a different culture are children of God just like you? Where else will you come to the realization that maybe your way is not the "best" way and that maybe there are other ways of life that work just as well? How else will you see the desires and heart of people you are serving unless you step into their life for a bit and make yourself available?

Well before I go I have two stories for you. Hopefully you will be able to visualize it even with out a picture attached.

One night my partner and I had to use the bathroom before bed. We left our house and walked to the out house "liklik haus". While my partner was in the "liklik haus" I heard a rustling then she darted out. "There's a HUGE spider in there! You have to kill it." Master at killing all kinds of spiders I walked in with confidence to see a spider seriously as big as my two hands put together! I considered taking off my flipflop but then realized I would have to walk on the dirt/questionable ground in order to do this. I walked out again and said, "That's a CRAZY huge spider!" Thinking for a bit I called out to my waspapa to come kill the spider. I said "Mi no inap pispis taim spaida i lukim mi!" which basically means "I can't go to the bathroom with a spider looking at me". My waspapa, without moving, called out, "Yu yet taitim bun, na kilim spaida." which basically means "You get a backbone and kill the spider!" hahah. We both started laughing but didn't move. Wasmama later came over and killed the spider. What would we do without her?

In Papua New Guinea it is customary to make an exchange when you visit someone or when someone visits you. It is a sign of relationship and respect. Well one day our family explained that we were going to see one of their relatives that lived at the top of the mountain. When we were at the training camp, which is on the top of a mountain, we had been training to walk up many tall mountains, so we agreed and followed their lead. The mountain was pretty steep, slippery and long. I had to stop a few times to catch my breath and drink some water. When we got there we exchanged some food with them and visited. When it was time for us to leave they made the traditional exchange. But since we are whiteskins and foreigners their exchange was very large. We ended up leaving with two bags full of papaya, coconuts, greens, and two huge stocks of sugarcane. Though we were grateful for their generosity we were not sure how we would do on the descent with the bag of food hanging from our foreheads. Let me correct that, I was not sure I would make it. I could hardly move my head! Walking out of the village with smiles I waited until we were out of their sight and told my family, "Mi no inap karim dispela kaikai. Mi bai pundaun." Which means, I can't carry this food. I'll fall down. So wasmama took it...along with carrying her one year old son, and her bag of food on her head! A little ways down the road my village partner stopped and said, "How about we just eat the papaya and coconuts here to lighten the load?" Papa laughed and told us to dig in! She pulled out her big knife and was about to cut it open when mama said she'd carry it too. We continued to walk down the hill. How fun would it have been to eat all the food before we got back to the village...all in order to lighten the load. It still amazes me how much these ladies in Papua New Guinea are able to carry on their heads!!!

Well that is all for now. More to come I assure you. I hope you are all well and have a blessed Easter!

Hello from San Francisco!

Well I made it from Charlotte, NC to San Francisco, CA! Uneventful for the most part, which is fine with me! It still surprises me how little you get on domestic flights. I flew clear across the US and I only got a drink...interesting! One time I flew domestic in Australia from Brisbane to Cairns, about an hour and a half or so flight and I got to watch sitcoms, a snack and an ice cream!

Traveling is such an interesting experience. I ended up sitting next to a lady whose father is a pastor here in California, but she does not seem to believe. I shared some about being a missionary and how my parents are missionaries. We talked about growing up and every time we talked about faith, I would say "faith" and she would say "religion". Believing in God and that He is the only way to heaven is not a "religion" to me...it is the TRUTH. It surprised me, again, how careful I was not to offend her by saying I was going to share the TRUTH with the people in Papua New Guinea. Sitting there I was kicking myself. Why am I so hesitant to "offend" someone when they are wrong? I should be screaming it from the roof tops! This is their life at stake. But there I sat.

We try so hard to be "politically correct" that we forget the urgency of salvation and eternity. God forgive me for my fear and hesitation.

I just recently received this picture from a friend of mine. A few weeks ago I visited a church family in Greensboro, NC where they allowed me to share with them and they prayed for me. I was so blessed by this experience. What was even more meaningful was that I was prayed for in English AND Spanish! How truly symbolic of my life so far. Confirmation!

Hope you are all well. Thanks for reading and feel free to comment or add what you are thinking.

Here I Go!

Well folks, this is it! My house is cleaned, my bags are packed, and my toes are freezing! Not for long though. Soon my sandals will be a WONDERFUL thing!

The last few days have been a whirlwind but very very good. My friend Elizabeth threw me a goodbye party. It was nice to relax and see everyone. Mks know how to say goodbye!

I also received a goodbye party from my friends who I use to teach with at Metrolina Christian Academy. It was nice to see them again and share a little more about what I will be doing. Thanks MCAers. I will miss and love you! I learned so much there and have great memories! My friends from my church small group took me to Buffalo Wild Wings. If you've never been...GO! It's amazing. Thanks guys. I will miss you very much. Thanks also for your encouraging letters. Thanks for challenging me in my faith and living life with me!

I love this picture of me with my car. My last time with my car filled to it's limits! It's probably very happy about that actually! In my car is all my stuff (except 2 things that my friend took) for my shipment to PNG. Oh boy! I know, it's weird for a single gal to have a wagon but I LOVE my wagon. She has done me well. Taking this picture I thought of all the things that could "bust" or "burst" like...my tires, my tears, my heart! Anyways. All that to say...let's go!

I love you all. I will do my best to put up more posts. Won't have pictures up for a few months cause it takes a long time to get them up and to download. Thanks for understanding!

Amanda

Pushing on

Well hello again!
I am in the midst of the hustle and bustle of leaving, which has never been a favorite thing for me. It always amazes me how much STUFF I accumulate over the years. Not sure I would be considered a pack rat though for a time everything is important and sentimental. When it gets down to crunch time is suddenly starting looking more like JUNK than "treasure". All that to say...my storage is shrinking and my trash cans are overflowing! haha.

It really is an emotional thing to leave a place. Someone asked my how I was feeling and I said "Depends on the hour!" Which is so true. A few days ago I was crying and frustrated because I couldn't figured out how to fill out retirement papers or how to even FIND it online. Not sure why people think online is the answer to all solutions! Not if you are computer-challenged. Yep, admit it...you can be too! But hey, you found my blog so cutos for you! Yes, my emotions are all over the place. I remember when I graduated from high school (while we were in Papua New Guinea) I cried for the first time when I gave a little four year old a hug! haha...you never know when it will come. For those of you reading this, please don't be offended if I don't cry when I am with you...it's hard for me to control when I am emotional, I will probably end up crying later. I still love you though!

I officially have 1 suitcase "packed". Yep, because that basically means the things are sitting in the suitcase...made me feel better. Lots to ship, that I will probably sort through a fourth time and lots to store.

In my devotions I have been reading about the Israelites. I started with Moses and moved on to Joshua. Today I read Judges 2-3 where the people have disobeyed God and are now going to live with the people they were suppose to destroy. It said "they will be thorns in your sides". I guess I wasn't so surprised that they disobeyed but more so that they walked away so quickly. It says in vrs. 10 "another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel". Wow.

I share this with you because this actually encourages me. Weird, right. It encourages me that I am doing the right thing with my life. Missionaries are highly ex halted among believers even though they are still sinners. And their children, missionary kids, feel the pressure to be this Outstanding believer. I have seen many Mks rebel under this pressure. I am encouraged because of these things. One, I can be an example for them through the way I live my life and two, I can be there as they decide how they want to live their lives.

Well, back to packing! Thanks for following.

Appreciating the "last" times

Well as my title says, I am learning to appreciate the last times for a while. The last colorful fall, the last sinus infection from the fall :) , the last snow fall and late night sledding, the last snuggles with nieces and nephews, the last drive to visit friends in Greensboro, and Christmas cookie making, the last Black Friday I can work for my brother, and the list goes on.

I was warned that emotions will begin to surface especially since I have less than 2 weeks left. When I become productive with paperwork and packing I miss out on fun times and when I enjoying fun times my mind wanders back to what still needs to be done. This is the stage of life I am in right now. I guess I can be thankful it is a "normal" stage for missionaries. Please pray for these transitions.

In the midst of all of this I have been reminded to RAFT, which stands for:

Reconciliation

Affirmation

Farewells
Think Ahead

In the "thinking ahead" I have recently received some OH so Sweet suitcases. These are so neat especially since the wheels turn all the way around so you can just push the bag rather than having to pull it! LOVE THEM!

Not always the easiest to do but very helpful!

Thank you for your prayers as I move through this time and for your support as well. Many of you have offered to help and I very appreciative! You are so kind.

JEHOVAH JIREH!

Jehovah Jireh, my provider

His grace is sufficient for me

Do you remember this song from childhood? God is our provider!

Look how God has shown over and over again how he has provided for my needs. Here are some ways:

- I received 48% of my monthly support in 7 days

- My PNG visa came in only 3 weeks (usually takes 2-3 months)

- My flight and training are paid for

- A friend bought me a new computer

- Someone has offered to buy my car

- A friend told me to get prescription for Malarone (malaria medicine), take it to Walmart along with my insurance card and it will be free. IT WAS! Saved me $750!

- someone bought me a rain jacket

- another friend printed off my prayer cards and gave them to me a gift

- a GPS was given to me

- I received a grant that will pay off my college loans for the next two years! It pay all my loans but will certainly be a great help for those two years.

- I have 37 monthly donors, 33 one-time givers, and MANY prayer partners...so many that I don't even know them all!

- Provided me with flexible jobs during this time, and the payments I have had on a monthly base were not required of me to pay!

- I have found great deals on items I have been searching for and people have been so generous!

God said His name was JEHOVAH JIREH....which means, "the provider"

May I never forget!!